Emma Ruth Rundle — On Dark Horses [Japan Edition] (2018)

  Emma Ruth Rundle — On Dark Horses [Japan Edition] (2018)
♦ψ♦    Dark and evocative post~folk from L.A.~based singer~songwriter and member of Red Sparowes, Marriages, and Nocturnes. Emma Ruth Rundles lives in LA and participates in music (Marriages, Red Sparowes, The Nocturnes — but alone) and visual/video art. Managed by Sargent House.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Album release: September 30, 2018
Record Label: Sargent House
Genre: Post~Rock/Singer≈Songwriter
Duration:     46:15
Tracks:
1. Fever Dreams   4:50 
2. Control   4:10 
3. Darkhorse   6:13 
4. Races   5:35 
5. Dead Set Eyes   4:59 
6. Light Song   5:51 
7. Apathy on the Indiana Border   4:47 
8. You Don’t Have To Cry   5:45
9. It Sings Sweet Like (Japanese Bonus Track)   4:05
Personnel:
•   Emma Ruth Rundle — Guitars, Vocals, Flute, Percussion
•   Dylan Naydon — Drums, Percussion
•   Evan Patterson — Guitar, Vocals, Piano
•   Todd Cook — Bass
•   Kevin Ratterman — Producer, Engineer, Mixing and Mastering Engineer, Misc Instrumentation
•   Ann Gauthier — Assistant Engineer
•   Recorded at LA LA Land in Louisville, KY 2018
•   All songs written by ERR
•   Artwork and Photos by ERR
•   Layout by Evan Patterson
Review:
By Matt Yuyitung, Published Sep 11, 2018. Score: 8
♦ψ♦    As a musician, Emma Ruth Rundle is full of contradictions. Drawing from elements such as folk, post~rock and drone, her work balances the slow, dark impulses of Chelsea Wolfe and the dreamy folkiness of Marissa Nadler. She has her feet planted firmly in two worlds, but on her latest record, Rundle is able to combine these influences in new and intriguing ways.
♦ψ♦    While On Dark Horses lacks the punishing nature of Wolfe’s catalogue, Rundle doesn’t shy away from some of the heavier elements Wolfe’s work embraces. On the slower “Dead Set Eyes,” she surrounds herself with heavy guitars and cymbals, but her voice still demands your attention. She doesn’t let the noise overwhelm her; the arrangements push her along rather than pull her down.
♦ψ♦    Across her earlier records, Rundle’s best work carried itself with a sense of urgency. Even during her slowest and most laidback moments, there was a real sense she didn’t want to stay in the same place for too long. During the propulsive “Darkhorse” or the slow~burning closer “You Don’t Have to Cry,” she’s restless and unafraid to push herself to new heights.
♦ψ♦    Perhaps Rundle’s biggest asset is the tenderness she brings with her, as she explores darker, more intimate sides of herself. Even with the record’s heavier moments, there’s still an element of warmth and sincerity present. While Marked For Death felt more cathartic and Some Heavy Ocean felt more plaintive, there’s no denying the emotional heft of On Dark Horses. This is another confident step forward by an artist who continues to dazzle us with new sides of herself.
♦ψ♦    https://exclaim.ca/
Bandcamp: https://emmaruthrundle.bandcamp.com/
Merch: https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/emma-ruth-rundle
Label: https://sargenthouse.com/
Website: https://www.emmaruthrundle.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmaruthrundle
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Emma Ruth Rundle — On Dark Horses [Japan Edition] (2018)